Maria Clift is a meditation facilitator, Ayurvedic coach and yoga teacher. Formerly a dancer, she found the transition to being a yoga teacher a natural progression. Mindfulness through meditation followed the yoga journey, where she found peace within herself and the world around her. 

Meditation was once considered the domain of spiritual teachers, but is now a mainstream practice that provides a way to deal with modern-day stress. Science has finally caught up with the ancient practice, because evidence shows mindfulness and meditation have a host of proven benefits, principally that it can quieten the mind from perceived or real problems. This leads to creating a space from your thoughts and liberating your mind so you can truly discover yourself.

A good friend once said to me, “it’s a revelation to know you are not your thoughts”. After reading Eckhard Tolle’s The Power of Now and listening to the excellent Oprah Winfrey podcast series with him, it makes sense. Your thoughts are not you – and the good news is that you can train yourself to not think unnecessary or unhelpful thoughts through the practice of mindfulness and meditation.

Creating spaciousness in your mind doesn’t have to involve sitting upright crossed-legged on the floor for half an hour each day. Eckhart says try being present in the ordinary things in your life, like making a cup of tea without thinking about anything.

Maria agrees. “To be present is to be really in the conversation that you’re having with someone. If you’re in nature, be in nature – just being really in the here and now.”

Humans are very good at using the present moment as a stepping stone to get to someplace in the future or drag something up that has happened in the past.

“Being present is the gateway to the next part, which is awareness. And that's huge,” says Maria.

The example she uses is that “awareness is when you allow everything to be as it is, the way it is, without adjustment, without wanting to touch it. It could be someone trying to create an argument with you; you're just aware it has nothing to do with you. That’s awareness.”

Maria says the benefits of mindfulness are numerous. “You can respond better, instead of reacting. Just by simply choosing to take a moment to pause and choose how you wish to respond to a situation. You’re also honouring your authenticity, of how you want to show up as your true self.”

Maria’s tip is to try being the observer of your thoughts. “If we allow ourselves to be the observer, then through this observation, our awareness expands.”

Maria shares her meditation knowledge in one-on-one sessions from her studio in Uptown.

She also offers Ayurvedic courses online and in person. 

Maria Clift

Ph: 027 583 1965
Web: iamyoga.me
Email: mariaclift100@gmail.com

Instagram: @mariacliftyoga

Facebook: I Am Yoga